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Running a business is tough. You want to ensure that you are on the right track and you are destined for greatness, and that you’re reaping what you sow, possible more. But if that dream is far from been made then some serious action must be taken to save your business and put it on the right track. Sometimes it’s the simplest things are the ones that are difficult to solve. But if you are dedicated to your business am sure you would be aware of it.

To start things off, you need to look at the functionality of your business. Take a deep run through on how you do everything in your business, from marketing to stocking up, from finances to customer service. This will enable you to check for issues that are not properly dealt with or ones that are been left out. Having that source of information must be updated regularly to ensure efficiency. Make a list of your business daily performance to ensure that it runs smoothly and there are no mishaps.

The organization of your products or services might be outdated or have been replaced with modern technological gear or other much enticing products. It’s up to you to ensure that you are always at the top of your game. Sometimes it’s not very wise to follow the crowd, because what they offer might not be what your customers want for your business. So you have to follow the needs of your consumer. It always a great way to track your earnings whether daily or monthly in that way you can be sure of how your business is going.

Offering new and exciting products should always be in your mind, whether it is been develop or in the stage of an idea. This will allow you to be constantly working to improve your business and help it grow. Remember people change and so should your business. Offering new ideas help to be creative and open a lot of opportunities and more consumers. You are always aiming to improve lives and earning a living, and people are easily bored and always looking for new and fun products on the market, so to keep your so called fans alive you must feed them with their vigorous demands.

Sale is important for a business. It helps it grow in an indirect way and help to gain new audience. You’re always in search of new audience and this is a top priority. It gives consumers freedom and make them feel appreciated. With high percentage discounts, customers will more likely spend more. You can offer a buy one get one free promotion to help generate more sales. You might think you will be losing, but you won’t. It’s up to you with you marketing team to find a way to implement a strategy, which will allow you to gain. A win win situation right there. Just as if that one company westbloomfieldtow.com did great for me the other night when my car got stuck, I would want all businesses should work hard that way

In everything you do, do it with passion and determination as that’s what will separate you from the others. a business is suppose to be treated like one and you must know how to work it and maintain it or it will come crashing down.

As my readers know that read my about page, I am from Hong Kong and came to the US at age 13 by myself to look for new opportunity, I was adopted child in Hong Kong and my living conditions there was not so great, I moved from home to home and at age 10 I left home and started working in the streets, I had always wanted to go to the US so I kept learning English anyway I could, I was fortunate enough to meet one English speaking lady in the market and I used to work for her and learn the language at the same time.

Learning to Climb in trees & in life

When the opportunity presented itself I jumped on it, I was always taking action despite massive amounts of self-doubt and negative programming that told me I would never amount to anything, one of things that kept me alive were the fruit trees that were in the forest few miles out of the city, I would go there, climb up the trees and get some coconuts and mangos and when you do this everyday for 3-4 years you become pretty efficient and pretty good at climbing all types of trees with no rope or safety lines.

I became very comfortable with height and ascending myself high in the air, and when I’m top of the tree I can feel very peaceful and calm, and that was my happy place, when I was having a hard time at work I would go there and just relax, on top of the tree where its just me and sky, and the forest below me with lush green, I discovered something one day on top of that tree, despite not having any possession or any money, or anything to fill my stomach up, I felt free and happy and content with life starting at the sky.

I knew there will be a bigger purpose for why I am here and when I started opening my mind up my world began shifting, things started changing in the outer world, a ship carrying cargo to US that captain hired me while I was in the market caring crates, I decided to give it a shot and next thing you know I’m on board to the US, left the cargo and never came back, never knew it would happen but now I’m in the US and that ship is gone, I have burned the return ship similar to the war in Troy.

I have made my stake and now I am working as the top tree climber / captain of the crew in a well reputable tree service company where they call me the master tree climber, because no one can climb trees and take down limbs faster than I can. I’m now grown up at age 26 I’m 6’2″ and very muscular build. I take down 7-10 medium to large trees daily and get paid handsomely.

I can basically go to every part of the country and get paid top dollar for my skill because all I have to do is show up at the job site for tree service company ask them to let me demonstrate my skills by taking down a whole tree by myself. And when they watch me do it, their jaws drop because they’ve never seen anyone this efficient and fast at knocking out trees, and they’ve also never seen anyone utilize the skills like I do.

I don’t use the same techniques as what is taught in arborist schools, I feel there are more advanced, better ways to handle a tree that the mainstream don’t teach you about, it’s just that I am the top guy in my field and when you get to my level you sort of learn to adapt and make techniques your very own.

My future Dreams

One day I wish to own my own tree service business in Oklahoma City and become a self made millionaire by age 30, and so I have 4 more years to do it. At this time next year I should have enough credit line and money saved up to invest in a bucket truck and chipper. And I will begin running my own crew and start to build my empire of great tree service company.

This is my dream and I won’t stop until I reach it, I work as long as I have to and do crazy hours till I achieve this dream.

It’s getting so close to school now. I feel like summer just started, it’s stupid. Also I’ve been doing this tree trimming job for my dad’s company so it’s like I didn’t even get a vacation.

My dad’s trying to tell me to save my money for college and for stuff I want during the school year but I’m want to get a car. I got enough from the tree service to get something cheap. I want to get a little Honda or Camry or something and trick it out. I mean, how am I going to work all summer and not get something with the money I made? I’m still going to work maybe on weekends during the school year so whatever.

Today I got to run the stump grinder for the first time. My dad was being real careful about me using this thing for some reason. Don’t get me wrong this thing is a serious tool, it’s kind of like a huge lawnmower with a giant chop saw on it but I’ve been climbing fifty feet up and doing this tree cutting stuff all summer so it was time. I’m seriously like a terminator of tree service, I’ll always be back.

So I got to chop up this old stump after they sawed it all off and run the grinder. It was cool for a minute because it’s a pretty serious machine and chips just fly off everywhere but my dad was like looking over my shoulder the whole time like I was going to mess it up or get hurt or something. My dad’s big on safety but really the only way you’re going to get hurt doing this is if a chip flies into your face or something. But I was wearing safety goggles. And I guess the only way you could mess up the actual stump grinding is if you chop up the lawn or something or maybe miss a part of the stump but it’s going to be pretty obvious if that happens.

I play this on my iphone while I work

But yeah after like ten minutes I was over it, it’s just a really tedious job because you kind of hack away at this stump and it takes forever.

The other arborists that work for my dad wanted to get subs for lunch for some reason so we couldn’t get pizza. The stupid thing is these guys go to this sub shop and order all this food and they sit and eat and complain about the food and how much the subs cost and how they can get a better sub at a different place for cheaper. I’m sitting there thinking everybody could have been happy if we got pizza because there was an amazing pizza place like a mile and a half away. The guys were even like, “Yeah that place does make a bomb pizza we gotta go there sometime. Except not today we’re getting subs at this stupid place.”

Work was easy after lunch. It was for me at least, all we had to do was do some pruning on all these little trees this old man had in his huge yard.

We get paid in two days. Sweeeeeeeeeeet.

I’m not sure if I will continue the blog when school starts as I will be very busy

There are many different ways a person with a tree service business can make money. Both residential and commercial. If a business owner thinks small then he will only receive small profits. But if he thinks big then that should yield bigger profits. So really the earning power of a tree service business is limited to scope of its owner or owners.

Residential communities is great place to start out at. Start working in your own neighborhood, your own circle then grow from there to include surrounding communities as well. Working for your neighbors, your friends, and your family is a great based to build from. It will give you experienced and allow for other people to see what you can do. And why not Try going go door to door offering your services. Make sure you’re equip with flyers and business cards to leave with homeowners and renters.

Look up the going rate for tree trimming for whatever zip code you will be working in. In one may community you may be overcharging and another you’re undercharging. Find out what the median is for the areas in which you work and charge accordingly. Try to be fair and honest about your prices but don’t undercut yourself by charging too little. There are many tree trimming business owners that make a profitable living but just working within residential neighborhoods.

Another avenue that can be very lucrative is to contract your services to commercial buildings and companies. Working with schools districts, universities campuses, corporation buildings, building contractors, or utility companies. All these people need and utilized the services of tree trimmers. When trying to secure a commercial contract start small. Check out your local business owners. By choosing local there is a greater chance that you will be working with the owner and not some lackey or representative that cannot make any real decisions. With larger business this could posed a problem especially for those just starting to dive into to commercial contracts.

Drive around and note those local businesses that look like they could use your services. After you have compiled your list its time to do some research. Then create a flyer or brochure on how you can benefit them. Your next step is to start visiting properties. Because you’re trying to build lasting relationship offer to take them to lunch or arrive with coffee and doughnuts. Even if you don’t get a meeting you’ve made a wonderful impression. So leave the treats with someone along with your business card. Don’t forget about your residential accounts. Ask them if they know any business owners that is looking or could use your services. You never know what connection you may have with your residential customers.

And with any business networking is key. Try to attend local meetings and clubs that business owners attend. Different real estate groups, Chambers of Commerce, any type of small business association. All these will facilitate relationships that will lead to jobs. Get out there and get social. You will have a better chance of scoring that commercial contract this way then by going through the phonebook and randomly calling people.

Remember don’t think small but start small. Set your goal and map how you will get there. Then gradually keep growing and developing your business. Longevity is the key. The growth of your tree trimming business is infinite.

After working for someone else for “x” amount of years in Hong Kong, you feel you have the experience and the knowledge to start your own business. Or maybe the entrepreneurial bug bit and now is as good a time as any to create a new venture. Whatever the reason, being a business owner is the goal. Being a tree service business owner can a rewarding and lucrative operation. It will take some planning, capital, and patience. Every business owner must invest in patience by the bucketsful.

Understanding Your Market

Like any business you have to know your market. Find out how many tree service businesses already operate in your “territory”. Their operating cost, overhead, number of employees, frequency of jobs, their price of services. Is there a need for your services? If the area is already flooded with tree service companies how will yours be different? How will you advertise and at what cost? What equipment do you have to buy, what can you do without, and can you even afford the equipment? Does your city or town require any type of licenses, insurance, or permits to operate a tree service business? Before starting try talking to other tree service business owners. Ask if you can sit down with them and discuss their business modules and to ask their advice on anything that’s puzzling you. This first hand experience is more valuable than anything you will read in the books and online. Gathered as much information as you can. Just like it’s better to be overdressed then underdressed, it’s better to be over prepared then under prepared.

Business Plan

Now that you are equipped with all this information, a business plan can be created. A business plan is a tool and aid to any business. It should contain a mission statement, cost of running the business and the formula or prices for your services. The projected growth that can be expected and how you will get there. A lot of new small businesses do not even consider to formulate a business plan but it’s a document worth having. That way you’ll have a plan and a vision of where you would like to grow. Where you see your tree service company in three, five, or ten years. This will also come in handy if you have to go down to the bank and borrow money. Or to bring in potential investors. Check out different business plan templates and models online. Or go to your local library. There are scores of books on running a business, creating a business, and developing a business plan. Check out your local Small Business Administration (SBA) they are there to help small business get started and off the ground. If after all this it’s still isn’t something you can do there are always companies and individuals that will do the research then write your business plan for you, for a small fee of course.

Now that you have done your research and formulated a business plan you will know what your next step is. If it’s funding or buying equipment, or whatever. That’s the value and blessing of a business plan not just for tree services enterprise but for any small or large business. If for some reason or another there’s a bump in the road or a detour then just change the plan. It should be something of fluidity, your plan should change as you change, as the economy change. Now it’s time to take that first step and start creating a niche for yourself in the wonderful world of tree services.